This invention relates to an aerosol inhalation apparatus which includes a disposable pulmonary inhalation device which includes means to generate properly sized aerosol particles, more particularly such particles containing aerosolized pentamidine isethionate for inhalation. The invention is significant for therapy and/or prophlaxsis of pneumonia and, in particular, Pneumocystis carinii pneumoniia (PCP), and the like.
The invention is especially useful for aerosolizing the solution to the proper aerosol particle size, and to collect the aerosol particles in a proper filter to avoid environmental and/or ambient contamination. The device is suitable for delivering aerosols to a subject undergoing treatment or prophlaxsis.
Relevant prior art United States Letters Patents are:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) Date Issued ______________________________________ 3,097,645 Lester Jul. 16, 1963, 3,172,406 Bird et al. Mar. 9, 1965, 3,243,100 Adams Mar. 29, 1966, 3,666,955 Suprenant et al. May 30, 1972, 3,695,254 Blum Oct. 3, 1973, 3,762,409 Lester Oct. 2, 1973, 3,769,967 Jones et al. Nov. 6, 1973, 3,777,742 Aumiller et al. Dec. 11, 1973, 3,881,463 Le Mon May 6, 1975, 3,976,050 Glasser et al. Aug. 24, 1978 and 4,116,387 Kremer, Jr. et al. Sep. 26, 1978. ______________________________________